Posidippus, Epigrams, Pap. Mil. Vogl. VIII 309
Hippika
AB 71 (XI 21-24)
Aithon, my single horse [won victory]
and so was I crowned during the same Pythian games;
twice I, Hippostratus, was heralded victor
my horse, as well as I, o lady Thessaly.
Translated by E. Kosmetatou and B. Acosta-Hughes
AB 72 (XI 25-28) Behold the splendor of the colt, how it draws in breath
with every stroke of heel and gallops at full stretch
as though running the Nemean race; for Molycus it brought
the celery chaplet crown on winning with its head’s extreme inclination.
Translated by E. Kosmetatou and B. Acosta-Hughes
AB 73 (XI 29-32) At once from the starting line at Olympia I ran thus
with no need of whip nor thrust (?)
a sweet weight for speed (?) … they crowned
Trygaios with an olive branch …
Translated by E. Kosmetatou
AB 74 (XI 33-39-XII 1-7) In Delphi when this foal competed in the four-horse race
swiftly it arrived at the finish, racing against a Thessalian chariot,
winning by a nod. Then there was great uproar among the charioteers
before the Amphictyonic judges, Phoebus.
They cast their short staffs to the ground, for by lot
they believed that victory ought to be awarded.
But then the horse on the right side nodded to the ground
with open heart (?), herself the staff she drew up,
an excellent female among males; whereupon the myriads roared
in one commingled voice
to proclaim a great wreath for her; in a crowded assembly then
Callicrates, a man from Samos, the laurel crown won.
And to the Brother-Loving gods he dedicated the lifelike image of that contest
here: the chariot and the charioteer in bronze.
Translated by E. Kosmetatou
AB 75 (XII 8-11) We four mares carried off the victory in a chariot
that was driven in the presence of Zeus Charioteer,
Pisans, we won one more Olympic crown
for (?) … the Lacedaemonean.
Translated by E. Kosmetatou
AB 76 (XII 12-15) This famed Arabian horse extends at full stretch as it gallops on the tips
of his hooves, winning a victory for Etearchus.
Having won in the Ptolemaia, and Isthmia, and Nemea twice,
he does not wish to shun the crowns of Delphi.
Translated by E. Kosmetatou
AB 76 (XII 12-15) He races ahead fully stretched and hardly touching the ground with the tip of his hooves
as this glorious Arabian horse wins prizes for Etearchus;
having won at the Ptolemaia, the Isthmia and twice at the Nemea,
he does not want to miss a Delphic victory.
Translated by N. Papalexandrou
AB 69 (XII 16-19) With a chariot … accomplished (?) I won three times in the Olympic games
… not inconsiderable cost (?)
… supplies (?) …
and if for glory it suffices, I have no other need.
Translated by E. Kosmetatou
AB 78 (XII 20-33) Tell, you poets, of my glory, if you sometimes like
to say what is known, that my renown is of ancient origin.
For with the chariot my forefather Ptolemy won victory
upon driving the horses in Pisa’s hippodrome,
and the mother of my father Berenike. With the chariot again
my father gained victory, king, son of a king,
with the same name as his father. And Arsinoe gained all
three victories together from the same session.
Holy family of women …
… virginal …
These glories with the chariot Olympia looked upon from one house
and sons of sons bearing away the prize.
Sing, Macedonians, of Berenike’s crown, the ruler queen,
conquered with the full grown four-horse chariot.
Translated by M. Fantuzzi
AB 78 (XII 20-33) Tell of my glory, all you poets, … to speak
of what is well known, because my fame has an ancient lineage.
My ancestor Ptolemy [I] won [an Olympian victory]
with his chariot when driving his horse at the stadium at Pisa,
and so did my father’s [Ptolemy II Euergetes] mother Berenice [I], and again
my father won, a king
who took his name from a king. Arsinoe won all
three chariot races in one contest …
the holy family of women
… a maidenly…
saw these [glories] in chariot racing from one house
and the prize-winning children of children.
Sing, Macedonians, of the crown Berenice [II]
won with her successful chariot.
Translated by M. Lefkowitz
(From Diotima: Women & Gender in the Ancient World, www.stoa.org)
AB 78 (XII 20-33) Recount, oh ye poets, my glory, if ever it pleases you
to tell of what is known, as my renown is ancient;
for with the chariot my forefather Ptolemy won
driving his horses through the stadion of Pisa,
and Berenice, my father’s mother. With the chariot again
my father scored victory, a king descended from a king,
named after his father. And in a single competition
Arsinoe scored all three victories for harnessed races;
I now honor the holy family of my father …
of women … virginal …
These victories from a single house Olympia saw
and the children’s children were heralded victors with their chariots.
Sing, Macedonians, of Berenice’s crown who conquered
with the full-grown four-horse chariot.
Translated by E. Kosmetatou
AB 79 (XII 34-39) The maiden queen with her chariot, yes, Berenice,
has won all the crowns for chariot races in the games,
from you, Zeus of Nemea. By the speed of her horses
her chariot left behind the many drivers.
And like … with slack reins the horses
came to the judges of the Argolid.
Translated by M. Lefkowitz
(From Diotima: Women & Gender in the Ancient World, www.stoa.org, see link above.)
AB 79 (XII 34-39) A virgin the queen with her chariot, aye, Berenice,
carries off all victorious crowns for chariot-racing
at your games, Nemean Zeus. By the speed of her horses, her chariot
left many charioteers far behind, whenever she turned;
her horses running under the rein [like meteors]
came first before the Argive judges.
Translated by E. Kosmetatou
AB 80 (XIII 1-4) …
… of the crown
…, o Nemean Zeus
… only for this girl.
Translated by E. Kosmetatou
AB 81 (XIII 5-8) … Dorian chaplet leaves
… one head
…
… twice in victorious chariot.
Translated by E. Kosmetatou
AB 82 (XIII 9-14) An Isthmian victory … Berenice’s
… of the stadium ..
the Macedonian .. daughter with her father Ptolemy
was admired by the holy water of … Peirene,
and you alone, queen, proclaimed in the Isthmus
how many times your house was victorious.
Translated by M. Lefkowitz
(From Diotima: Women & Gender in the Ancient World, www.stoa.org, see link above.)
AB 82 (XIII 9-14) … of Berenice
… the horse at the stadium,
the [multi-crowned] Macedonian daughter was admired
by the holy water of the Peirean Acrocorinth,
with Ptolemy, her father; for you alone, queen, proclaimed
at the Isthmus your house so many times victorious.
Translated by E. Kosmetatou
AB 83 (XIII 15-18) This dazzling Thessalian single horse which won three victories
at Olympia, was dedicated a sacred monument to the Skopadai
The first and only horse this one; challenge it, for thrice I won
… at the Alpheios, the Iamids are my witness.
Translated by E. Kosmetatou
AB 84 (XIII 19-22) You were the first Olympic victor who washed this, your swift horse
in the Alpheios river, Thessalian Phylopidas,
.. a large hall was later decorated with wreaths
… first more divine Graces.
Translated by E. Kosmetatou
AB 85 (XIII 23-26) This victorious horse, exalted for its speed I, Amyntas
have brought from my own herd
to you, Pisan Zeus, and I did not make an end of
my Thessalian fatherland’s ancient fame for horses.
Translated by E. Kosmetatou and B. Acosta-Hughes
AB 86 (XIII 27-30) … he boldly galloped on; for indeed this horse
won four times in the Nemean single race
and twice in the Pythian stadium, Messenian Aithon,
and he brought me the crown, Eubotas, on both occasions.
Translated by E. Kosmetatou and B. Acosta-Hughes
AB 87 (XIII 31-34) When we were still horses, people of Pisa,
we gained the Olympian crown of Berenike the Macedonian,
the crown that has the glory much spoken of,
with which we took away Kyniska’s long-lasting kydos.
Translated by M. Fantuzzi
AB 87 (XIII 31-34) When we were still the horses of Macedonian Berenice,
people of Pisa, we brought her the crown of Olympic victory,
which has well-known fame, and with it
we took away the ancient glory of Cynisca in Sparta.
Translated by M. Lefkowitz
(From Diotima: Women & Gender in the Ancient World, www.stoa.org, see link above.)
AB 88 (XIII 35-XIV 1) We alone were the first three kings to win at Olympia
in chariot-racing, my parents and I
I am one, of the same name as Ptolemy, and son of Berenice
of Eordean descent – my parents (the other) two.
I have added to the great glory of my father, but my mother,
a woman, won a victory in the chariot races – this, a great feat.
Translated by E. Kosmetatou and B. Acosta-Hughes